By Kgomotso Ramotsho

The President of the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa (SCA) and the South African Chapter of the International Association of Women Judges (SAC-IAWJ), Justice Mandisa Maya, has been elected Regional Director: West and Southern Africa on 7 May 2021. This appointment was made during the Africa Regional Meeting at the 15th Biennial Conference of the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ), which took place in Auckland, New Zealand from 7 to 9 May 2021.

In a statement by the SAC-IAWJ, it stated that Justice Maya is the latest appointee from the Africa region, and she joins the President elect of the IAWJ, Justice Binta Nyako of Nigeria and Regional Director: East and Central Africa, Justice Hanna Okwengu of Kenya. The statement added that Justice Maya was nominated by SAC-IAWJ, and the nomination was seconded by the Botswana IAWJ National Chapter, under the leadership of Justice Sanji Monageng, former judge of the International Criminal Court, Hague.

Justice Monageng described Justice Maya as ‘an advocate for gender equality and justice, and the appointment of women in the judiciary.’ The statement pointed out that Justice Maya’s nomination was also supported by the Malawi Women’s Association and the Institute for African Women in Law. As the IAWJ Regional Director, Justice Maya will represent members of the South and West Africa region and promote the IAWJ in bilateral and regional forums and promote inter-regional communication and collaboration.

Kgomotso Ramotsho Cert Journ (Boston) Cert Photography (Vega) is the news reporter at De Rebus.